INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A woman charged in 2015 with killing her mother was sentenced to prison Friday after striking a plea deal that helped her avoid the mandatory life sentence associated with her initial charge of first-degree murder.

Cherish Perkins, 27, of the 300 block of Seventh Road Southwest, pleaded down to second-degree murder, which is an intentional killing that's not planned. Judge Cynthia Cox sentenced Perkins to seven years in prison, followed by 23 years' probation. A mental health bed at the prison was recommended.

Cherish Perkins told investigators she had been hearing voices in her head. She said she was watching TV when she began having negative thoughts about her childhood and decided to confront her mother about it, according to the affidavit.

Cherish Perkins and her two brothers all said they were abused by Martha Perkins as children, according to the affidavit.

Cherish Perkins said she felt as though her mother didn't care, which angered her. She admitted to deputies that night that she choked and stabbed her mother before showering the blood off and calling 911.

Cherish Perkins expressed remorse, saying she called 911 "because she felt that she should have to suffer the consequences for killing the victim."

She has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, according to court records.

The sentence Cherish Perkins received Friday was allowed because of several mitigating circumstances, according to court records:

She was the victim of "extreme" abuse from the deceased victim;

Her mental illness impacted her understanding of the crime;

She called 911 to confess and cooperated with investigators;

Her offense was unsophisticated, isolated and she has shown remorse;

Her mental illness requires treatment, to which she is open; and

The victim's family did not want Perkins sent to prison.

Cherish Perkins already served 1,086 days — nearly three years — of her seven-year sentence as she awaited trial. The majority was spent in the Indian River County Jail, but she spent 76 days at a state mental hospital last year, jail records show.